Rainy Days Hold Sunshine Promises
by Aria-wolfstar
Summary: Varden has left the group and is now alone and musing when he hears a knock on the door...[shipping included


Disclaimer: All characters belong to Sarah Ellerton who wrote the fantastic comic of Inverloch.

Setting: This is sorta an AU people! Varden has left the group after Eron and Shiara have joined it and now he's living alone in Rhyll….this is a one shot also people and is oh say…a month after he left. (may be a little OOC)

The Rain Changes All:

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In the middle of a dark room that belonged to an old "two-story" house over-looking the water, at a large table sat a man with sunny blond hair. Next to him was a tankard half filled with beer. The man's elbows were on the table and his head was in his hands, his fingers combing through his hair. Picking up his head, he grabbed the tankard next to him and drained a large portion of the liquid, wiping the froth from his mouth with the back of his hand. As he listened to the rain pitter-pattering away at the roof and the thunder cackling in the distance, he grimaced at himself. He couldn't stop thinking about _her._

Growling at himself, Varden flung back the chair and stalked up the stairs to the small platform of the "two-story" house that held his bed. Flopping himself onto the bed, he let one arm fall of the side of it, and the other arm rest over his eyes, pressing down against the lids. He was trying to get rid of _her_ image. Just last month _they_ had come, saying that they were going to help search for Kayan'dar. That arrogant elf man had said that he was no longer needed, that a _"man was finally there to watch over the women,"_ and he had even _smirked_ at _her_! How dare that arrogant man flirt with _her_!

"Gah!" Varden grunted as he turned over on the bed and stuffed his face into the pillows. After that pompous man had showed up, he had stalked off. _She_ had tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen to her. Thunder crackled in the distance, and Varden fought off the stinging tears that he was _sure_ had _something_ to do with that cursed beer. Or…maybe not. Thunder struck again, and Varden shifted to listen to hear it better. His dad had taught him to never be afraid of the thunder a long time ago, and he had come to enjoy it ever since.

As he sat there, Varden heard another sound that wasn't the thunder, but more of a knock on the door. He had to be imagining things…but then again…maybe not. The knock sounded again, this time louder, and Varden shouted "Hold on!" as he swung his legs off the bed.

Rubbing his head groggily, (the beer seemed to have _some _effect at least) Varden stumbled down the steps and placed one hand on the other side of the door and yanked on the handle to open it. He could see the rain pouring outside, and a hooded figure standing on his doorstep with the hood in her eyes. As the figure lifted its head, Varden took in a sharp intake of breath as golden eyes met his. The figure smiled at him for a moment – just a brief moment – before she opened her mouth to speak. Varden, who had been trying not to show to much surprise, cut her to the chase.

"Lei'ella…" he breathed, and she nodded, the rain coming down on her already drenched figure. Shaking his head as he gathered his wits about him, Varden spoke again. "Er…come in," he squeaked, before clearing his throat and going at it again. "Uh… it's raining out."

Lei'ella smiled and ducked her head in thanks as she walked into the house and standing right inside the door. Varden closed the door slowly behind her, entranced with the very thought of her being there.

"Are you sure you don't mind me being here?" Lei'ella asked nervously, as a puddle gathered around her feet.

Varden waved his hands at her, and his mouth twitched in a half smile. "It's fine," he reassured her. Then he jumped as realization hit him. "You're soaked!" he said.

Lei'ella looked down at her sodden figure and the puddle that was slowly gathering on the floor. "I guess I am…" she said softly, then she half whined the next thing she said, "And I'm leaving a mess on your floor!"

Laughing, Varden began to walk towards his steps where his bedroom-like room was. "It's fine," he said. "I've done much worse myself." As he reached the top, he began rooting through his bureau and dragging out an old baggy shirt and some shorts of his. Trotting back downstairs to the water-soaked Lei'ella, he threw them at her. "Here," he said. "Change into these, you'll be drier."

Lei'ella looked at the clothes in her arm for a moment and then took a step forward before glancing around. "Where…do I change?" she asked tentatively.

Giving a nervous chuckle, Varden pointed to a room near the stairs. "There's a sort of closet in there," he said. "I'll get a fire going."

Lei'ella smiled and nodded and began to walk off towards the room before Varden's voice stopped her again. "Uh…Lei'ella," Varden said, and the girl spun around to look at him.

"Yes?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Would you like anything? Food? Beverage?" Varden scratched the back of his neck, still nervous about the current situation.

Casting her eyes up to the ceiling, Lei'ella thought for a moment. "I don't suppose…" she said slowly. "You have any hot chocolate?" she bit her lip at the last statement, afraid of sounding foolish.

"I think I can scrounge some up."

Nodding in content, Lei'ella walked off to the room to change. Heaving a sigh, Varden scampered off to the kitchen (grabbing his mug from earlier and chucking the contents out a nearby window as he walked by) and dug into the cabinet for some coco-powder. Finally reaching the can he was looking for, Varden pulled his head out of the cabinet (bumping his head on the shelf in the process) with the can in tow. Blowing the dust off of the tin, he cracked open the lid to make sure there were no bugs left. Bustling to the other side of the kitchen, he grabbed two mugs and dropped them on the counter. Next, he went and grabbed a pitcher of fresh milk given to him by the farmer down the road just that morning. Carefully, he dumped the milk into the containers and dropped some powder into the first one, the one for him.

The next task came as a predicament. How much chocolate did Lei'ella want?

Shrugging, Varden began to pour the powder slowly in, stopping every now and then to make a guess about the amount. As he continued to pour, a voice over his shoulder said, "That'll be good right there."

Jumping and looking over his shoulder, Varden found a smiling Lei'ella right behind him. Her cloak was still on and covering her head, but she was in a shirt that came down to her mid thighs, and shorts that hung above her knees. Blushing at the sight of her and how good she looked in his clothes, Varden spun around and capped the tin of the coco-powder. Laughing nervously, he grabbed the mug and handed it to her.

"Thank you," she said softly, taking a sip.

"It's not warm yet," Varden pointed out hastily. Then he jerked his hand in the direction of the fireplace that was under the platform where his bed stood. "I have to start the fire still." Looking at the woman before him, Varden paused for a moment with his lips half parted and then turned and walked off towards the fire to grab the flint and wood to start the fire. Over his shoulder he called, "You can come sit down over here if you want…"

Lei'ella grabbed Varden's mug as well and glided over to where Varden was crouched over the fire trying to get it started. She sat down on the ground, her legs tucked next to her and her cape billowing out besides her. Once he had a blazing inferno going, he turned around to face Lei'ella. She held out the mug for him and he accepted it kindly, and showed her where to put it next to the fire.

"So…what are you doing here?" Varden asked carefully.

Lei'ella shrugged and looked down at the ground. "We want you back Varden," she said softly.

Varden was taken aback. "Who's we?"

Lei'ella held up her hand and began ticking off fingers as she added names. "Acheron, Neirenn," Varden laughed at this one.

"The half mage wants me back?"

Lei'ella nodded and continued. "Shiara could care less really, and Eron doesn't want you there…"

"What about you?" Varden asked softly, gazing into her eyes. As she opened her mouth, he almost regretted asking.  
"I want you back too," she replied, and he stole a glance at her to see her face, only to realize it was shaded by her cloak.

Grinning at his sly idea, Varden picked up the mugs and handed Lei'ella one, taking a sip of his before continuing. As Lei'ella was lifting the mug to her mouth, he spoke. "Fine," he said. "I'll come back if…you take off your hood."

Lei'ella almost choked on her hot chocolate. She set down the cup somewhat harshly and fixed Varden with a stare that made his smile drop. Then she averted her gaze. "I'm not sure you'll want me to do that," she said softly.

Varden glared at her fiercely. "And why not?" he demanded. "We've been traveling together for how long…and I'm sure everyone else knows it, but why can't I?"

Lei'ella flinched and drew back slightly. "I can if you really want me to," she whispered.

Varden thought for a moment, then said, "I really want you to."

Grimacing, Lei'ella looked at him to make sure he was serious, then lifted her hand to the clasp that held the cape to her body. She threw the back over her shoulders, so that all that remained was the hood. Varden was keen on watching her every move. As her hands reached up shakily to the hood, Lei'ella paused, then dropped her gaze from Varden and pushed the hood back, letting the cape flutter down around her. She kept her gaze firmly rooted on the ground, avoiding Varden's stare.

Varden sucked air in through his teeth as he saw the pointy elf ears of Lei'ella's. He glowered at her for a moment, and she must have seen it out of the corner of her eye, because she withdrew from him quickly.

"I told you!" she protested. "I told you you wouldn't want to see!"

Varden raised his hand and leaned in towards Lei'ella, and she cowered in front of him. "I'm sorry," she whimpered, though nothing was really her fault.

Varden reached behind Lei'ella and grabbed the cloak, holding it up and shaking it infront of Lei'ella's view. She pressed her eyes shut from the sight.

"Never," Varden began. "Never wear this again near me unless you have to."

Lei'ella opened one eyelid, then another, and found herself staring at a smiling Varden. "Understand?" he asked her. She nodded.

"You don't…mind?" she whispered.

Varden pulled himself closer. "Never." He said.

"I thought you hated elves."

"I _did_. But that all changed." He was closer now.

"Why?" Lei'ella asked nervously.

"I met you." Varden stated, and he snaked his hand behind her head and pulled her down into him until their lips met softly, beginning the start of a warm, gentle kiss to which Lei'ella was shocked to at first, but then she let herself ride along and she fell into Varden.

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Ugh…sorry guys, it was a little sappy/mushy/out of character/sucky, but I had to write it

Till Next Time  
Aria


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